The invention herein relates to mounting pads for electrical transformers. More particularly it relates to a "universal" mounting pad intended to serve as a suitable base for a wide variety of sizes of electrical transformers.
Electrical transformers in the size range of approximately 15-175 KVA rating are widely used for a myriad of industrial and commercial applications. They are conventionally encased in oil-filled housings which have dimensions generally of 3 to 4 feet in height and approximately 2 feet in width and depth and weigh several hundred pounds. They are commonly set up outdoors and are emplaced on mounting pads which rest directly on the ground and which contain an opening through which electrical cables are brought up from underground conduits for attachment to the transformers.
In the past such transformer mounting pads have been slabs made of concrete or of similar massive construction. These monolithic slabs have contained fixed anchoring means designed to accommodate only a single size of transformer. Since each different rating of transformer is of different physical dimensions and has a different spacing of mountings, a slab designed and constructed for one rating of transformer could not be used with any other rating.
In addition, the monolithic prior art slabs have been difficult to transport and handle because of their great weight. They are also easily damaged in handling by cracking, chipping or other destruction of the concrete block.